The present invention relates to aqueous, cationically electrodepositable coating compositions.
Heretofore, it has been difficult to formulate aqueous, acid catalyzed, cationically electrodepositable coating compositions which can cure at low temperatures and when cured exhibit good physical properties without yellowing. A portion of the difficulty resides in the fact that since the acid catalyst is water soluble it migrates to the anode in the electrodeposition bath instead of remaining dissolved in the resin micelles where it can deposit with the coating film and catalyze the cure of the film. Since the amount of catalyst present in the film is diminished, the degree of cure is lessened and the ultimate cured film properties are detrimentally affected. In addition, the nitrogen base containing resins degrade to form amines which have a tendency to produce yellowing of the cured film upon baking or aging. This yellowing effect makes it difficult to formulate coating compositions in white and pastel colors.
There is a need, therefore, for a low temperature curable, aqueous, cationically electrodepositable coating composition which exhibits good physical properties when cured and does not exhibit yellowing.